Rafa at Marca
Warning: if you’re upset about the departure of Rafa van der Vaart, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER. It will upset you and possibly make you cry. Because Rafa is so adorable and so obviously loves this club, this city and this country. And so classy as well. Plus, it will most definitely make you hate certain people in this club.
Marca sent a reporter to the Italian city of Rimini, where the Netherlands are staying before their 2012 Euro qualifier against San Marino. His mission? To speak with Rafa van der Vaart. He found him at the airport, and Rafa acceded to an interview.
Q: Two days have passed since you left Real Madrid. Do you still feel hurt?
A: No, I’m good now [yay], I’m getting used to the idea. It’s an important change in my life, but I’m going to a great team. Tottenham is an important team that is playing in the Champions League and that has a very competitive squad. It’s a new challenge for me and right now I’m very happy, with a desire to compete in the Premier League, which I love.
Q: But your goodbye wasn’t as you hoped it would be.
A: Of course, but that has already passed and there’s no need to make it a bigger deal than it is.
Q: Who told you about the decision?
A: It all happened very fast and we all agreed to it. One day before the transfer market closed, Tottenham made a serious offer for me, and in two or three hours, we managed to come to an agreement. Playing with them was a valid option for me. Real Madrid then accepted the transaction and everything came together in time. Well… almost (laughs), but everything is in order now.
Q: The offer came late, but in the end, it came. But it seemed like there were a lot of teams interested in you during the summer.
A: Yes, there were offers from Germany and some other places, but I didn’t want to leave Real Madrid. The club wanted to sell me and I found myself facing the possibility that I wouldn’t have any minutes. They told me that and a solution had to be found. Like last year, I would have to fight a lot to get minutes. A lot of the signings play the same position as me, and what I wanted was to be on the field. If it could be with Real Madrid, the best team in the world, in my opinion, great. But if not, I had to find a solution to be able to keep on enjoying football like I have up to now.
[Ok, this makes me sad on so many levels – first, that Rafa didn’t want to leave; second, that the club wanted to sell him; third, that the club told him he wouldn’t get to play; fourth, that they had done the same to him last year; and fifth, that they had signed those players, showing they had no confidence in Rafa and/or obviously wasn’t counting on him for this season. He really, really deserved to be treated better than this.]
Q: And the solution could have been to play in Manchester United, Bayern Munich or even in Atlético de Madrid.
A: No, there wasn’t anything with Manchester United. The offer from Bayern Munich didn’t go far. And in the end I did have the option to go to Atlético, but neither the club nor I wanted to accept it. In that moment, I wouldn’t have been able to play for any Spanish team other than Real Madrid. That’s my team. For me, it’s been an honor to have spent all that time there, and I can say that “soy del Real Madrid,” without a doubt.
Q: Do you believe that they didn’t respect you, that they weren’t sincere with you?
A: No. Look, I don’t want to say anything bad about the club. I’ve experienced many good things and I prefer to remember those. Of course, there were bad things, but you have to look ahead and face what is coming, without thinking about the bad things that happened. I apologize for not wanting to remember the bad parts.
Q: How did you say goodbye to your teammates?
A: It was sad for me, to tell you the truth. I think it was sad for my teammates as well. I have a great relationship with Dudek, Lass, Iker, Sergio, Higuaín… all of them. They’re my friends and very good people. I’m going to miss them. I was very well integrated with the group and with the club. And with the fans as well; they’ve been important for me, they’ve always supported me and made me feel proud of my work. But these things happen in life and you have to keep on living.
Q: What about Mourinho?
A: I had a good relationship with him as well. I think very highly of him. He’s the best coach in the world, he’s won everything and I’m sure he’ll win more titles with Madrid. I hope so.
Q: And Valdano?
A: (Laughs). Look, I said I didn’t want to say anything bad about anyone. I have a lot of respect for Real Madrid and I don’t want to say anything bad.
[So, we find out who the real culprit is!!!]
Q: Did you know that your number 23 shirt was selling really well in the last two days?
A: Really? You don’t say, that’s great!… It pains me to see that some Madrid fans are sad about my departure [like me!]. It pains me a lot to leave Madrid as well, but I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.
Q: Soon? Like in the Champions League?
A: It would be a dream to return to the Bernabéu with Tottenham. I would feel as if I were at home.
Q: Will you return often to Madrid?
A: I’m sure of it. For the moment, my family will continue living in Madrid for at least two or three more months. Everything happened so fast, and it’s not easy to move with kids. But of course I will continue coming to Madrid. My mother is Spanish! My heart is in this country.
Q: During the summer, there was a rumor that you couldn’t leave Madrid because your wife needed to continue her treatment in a specific hospital, and that because of that you would only accept to go to teams in big cities.
A: No, thank God that that’s not true. My wife is fine [yay!!!]. She had a very serious disease and it’s true that she was being treated at the Clínica Quirón. Last season, they wanted me to leave, but I couldn’t for that reason. Now that’s not important anymore. She’s doing well, and the only thing that happened is that Madrid wanted to sell me, that I wanted to continue enjoying playing football and Tottenham is a great team that offered me the possibility to do so. That’s all.
Q: To end, do you want to send a message to the madridistas?
A: Thank you very much. I just want to say that to everyone, from those who worked at the club to the fans. Thank you for the support you’ve given me, and for making me feel good and as if I were at home. We’ll see each other soon, I’m sure of it. I leave with Madrid in my heart. I’m a madridista. A big kiss.
following Real Madrid... 
it’s so sad to know that he left with pain in his heart T_T
*heartbroken*………………
I know you warned me, but I couldnt help but read.
Gosh hes adorable. Even treated so badly by the club hes still speaking so well of it, while many players who left that way, badmouthed the club… somehow understandable though. He instead knows very well to differ between the club and some ppl working for the club. Gosh it makes me really sad that they treated him like that. He really doesnt deserve that at all.
I just dont get the politics anyway that many players, signed by the previous president have to be edged out and just a few “survive” this. Same after Calderon took over and again the last 2 years. Damn it feels like in a pc game where you change in and out how you want. How should a team grow by that?
As a fan its kinda hard to identify with a player now, and you never know if hes gone the next year. The long served are gone and you have a lot of young “vegetables”, the Spaniards and highly paid stars. Well lets see how the next season goes, but it makes me sad that we dont reward the fighting spirit of the players but instead kick them out with the next best offer. But in reverse we ask them to bleed for the club…
awww…poor rafa. (and damn you valdano). vdv’s such a class act. he’ll surely be missed =S
Rafa, vamos. You are truly Madrid’s loss this season. *heart is breaking*
speachless…. and sad, VERY SAD!!!
Like everybody else, I couldn’t help myself to not read. It hurts a lot to read it, but in the other hand, I’m glad that he knows we fans love him and this interview makes me love him even more.
Ohhh Rafa…. we will miss you. A great player and a classy man. Right now I have no words for Valdano (well none, that are appropriate for public airing), even if you *had to* sell him, there were better ways.
Best of luck in the EPL Rafa!
this is wrong on so many levels! after how much he’s fought and how well he has played, he really didn’t deserve this!
He’s such a great guy, and i love that he talks so highly of the club even though how he’s been treated.
he’ll truly be missed!
Whoa, that was very sad to read. I foolishly read the pink words first, which obviously made the whole thing harder to read.. “I’m a madridista” really got me..
He’s gained a whole lot more respect in my book for not bad mouthing the club. That was an extremely honorable thing to do. Who knows, maybe baby VDV will play in Real Madrid one day, eh? *tries to muster up a smile*
Well, I couldn’t comment about anything you posted in the past couple of days just because I was so pissed off about this. We love you Rafa. I really don’t want Florentino and Valdano in charge of the club and this is not because of Rafael but because of lots of things that they have done and they are doing wrong. They have their own agenda, they couldn’t care less about footballing excellence. We all want to win, we want titles but this club has been under-construction for a very long time ( since our smart president kicked VDB out).
Is asking for stability, a good plan and conserving our image as a club to be admired in EVERY aspect too much Sr. Florentino?
Ugh, I’ve never been fond of Real Madrid’s administration, but… yeah, thanks for nothing, Valdano. I like them even less now.
This interview pretty much made me cry. ¡Suerte Rafa!
That’s what I get for ignoring your instructions. I cried and my mascara ran and since I am at work there is nothing I can do about it. I am going to look like a panda for the rest of the day. 😦
Wow. That was the sweetest interview. It’s obvious that he didn’t want to leave and that he was pushed out, but he’s still saying such nice things about the club. Mascherano needs to take a leaf out of his book. Anyway, it’s good that he’s going to a club where he’s wanted and I hope he has a good time at Tottenham.
I AM DEPRESSION 😥
Gosh, he’s so wonderful. And whole this about him leaving the club is just so painful, so damn sad.
He’s a true class, as a player, and as a human. Wonderful man, really.
And most definitely, even after being treated so bad, he still has more respect and love for this club, and everything this club means and represents, than certain people involved with it will ever have.
Way to go, Rafa.
I really wish him all the best.
I freaking hate you valdano
Oh god… this man is so amazing on so many levels and I just…
;____;
I love him so much (even though I’m a Barca fan). He’s a great footballer and an awesome guy. Its so sad to hear this.
Thanks again!
I read this earlier this morning and totally cried. It just killed me, all he said about his love of Real Madrid. I’m glad he knows how much the fans love him. He’s going to be missed. I’m still a bit in shock that it really happened. I wish him luck in the EPL. He deserves to be someplace where his talent is truly appreciated, and I hope that Tottenham can give that to him.
Sigh… love you Rafa!
He’s such a classy guy. He handled his departure with aplomb. All the best with Tottenham.
So all of our Dutch are gone!! 😐 Good clean up by our directors!! They are kind of anti-dutch lol
I hope he goes and scores 40 goals for Tottenham. You’ll be miss Rafa. 😦
I can’t understand why they sold him, is he a bad player, personally i think that he should have been in the starting line up and shouldn’t have been sold for sure
He’s classier than our club.
I feel so bad. I will certainly miss him. That is too harsh. Why would Valdano do that?
Let’s be fair and say Mou likes him, it even came out from his own mouth.
By the way, a message to the writer:
Your blog posts are being tweeted by other bloggers and journalists 🙂
You’re getting F-A-M-O-U-S! Haha!
I will surely get a VDV’s shirt on Monday. One love and good luck VDV
He’s a very loyal Madridista, its really that truth that its a big loss for Real Madrid to not have him in the team any more. I know the administration is regretting selling all the amazing Dutch players the team had. I want to see him in the Bernabéu sometime soon.
Thank you so much for posting the interview!!
I like him so much better than these new, non-Spanish players. He contributed a lot more than quite a few players out there this past year. And these new non-Spanish players won’t be much better, either. I don’t like the make up of the team this season. I wish Rafa the best with the Spurs.
no regrets upon ignoring your warning..this man worth my flooding tears..*sobbing*